water from the tail pipe

AMonger · Mar 3, 2011

My van always drops a puddle of water out the tail pipe. There's also some water that always leaks from the undercarriage. I've put my finger in both and smelled them, and it's water. The last Chevy Express I drove did the same thing in both spots. It's kind of annoying. Someone suggested that this--the tailpipe anyway--is normal catalytic converter function, but that doesn't sound right.

Anyone ever 'sperience this?

Brisco · Mar 3, 2011

Happens every day when I'm warming up my 4.7 V8 Dodge Dakota. 2 Puddles....1 right below the tailpipe and a 1 little past the Cat Conv.

Doesn't bother me though. Saves me a ton of money on bottled water too!!! I pull truck out of garage, put an empty bottle where both condensation points occur, and let truck run a little bit to warm it up. When bottles are full, I put the caps back on, throw 'em in the cooler, and I'm set for the day.

ChrisGa23 · Mar 3, 2011

every vehicle I owned dropped water out the tail pipe.

Jason2 · Mar 4, 2011

my suburban does this all the time.i thought it was abnormal but guess not since yours does it too.haven't seen any close to front. my expedition didn't do it.

golfournut · Mar 4, 2011

I think what occurs is when you turn a vehicle off, the heat of the pipes is creating condensation. Since most exhausts are not angled downward enough in order to maintain road clearance the water produced by the condensation lays there until blown out by starting the vehicle.

Your best bet, hire a vet! Please.

denny2010 · Mar 4, 2011

just like everyone else my 2500hd silverado does it to, not some much from cat, but exhaust pipes.....very funny about bottling it up....never thought of that...lol

chefdennis · Mar 4, 2011

The internal combusion engine is a big air pump...a by product of combusion is water...it has to go somewhere and some of it goes out the exhaust some is burnt during combustion...also as was pointed out above condensation gathers in the exhaust system after the hot pipes cool off and then restart....my van when idling for extended periods of time will dump a small pond of water from the exhaust....some much that the last time i was in Laredo 2 guys asked me about it....

denny2010 · Mar 4, 2011

yes hire a vet.......where i am ( jumping and waving arms in the air ).......lol

golfournut · Mar 4, 2011

denny2010 said:
yes hire a vet.......where i am ( jumping and waving arms in the air ).......lol

Are you still waiting for CC?

Your best bet, hire a vet! Please.

denny2010 · Mar 4, 2011

i am, should be moving out next week or two

purgoose10 · Mar 4, 2011

AMonger said:
My van always drops a puddle of water out the tail pipe. There's also some water that always leaks from the undercarriage. I've put my finger in both and smelled them, and it's water. The last Chevy Express I drove did the same thing in both spots. It's kind of annoying. Someone suggested that this--the tailpipe anyway--is normal catalytic converter function, but that doesn't sound right.

Anyone ever 'sperience this?

This one I know. Your driving a Chevy. Believe it or not it's designed that way. I had an old 350 that rotted the exhaust out from the moisture. I wrote Chevy and they told me all their engines do that. The higher the concentration of moisture the better your engine was running. That another reason why GM was the first to start using S/Steel exhaust systems to keep from rotting out the pipes.

RoadKing06 · Mar 4, 2011

water in the exhaust system is a normal funtion/ byproduct of the catalyst in the converter. every vehicle with a converter does this. thats why there are drain holes in the mufflers ect.

gardair · Mar 7, 2011

According to a class I had in emission control systems many years ago, the two main by-products of complete hydrocarbon combustion are carbon dioxide and water. Sounds to me like your engine/emission system is doing a good job of cleanly burning the fuel!